In one of the most stunning and devastating losses for Democrats, the party’s top U.S. House campaign committee chairman, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), was defeated. The loss of his seat is the first time a DCCC chairman has lost their seat in 40 years. Maloney conceded the race to Republican Mike Lawler Wednesday. Republicans almost ousted DCCC chair, Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), during the 2020 election, as well.
The Daily Wire reports:
Lawler, a first-term assemblyman, focused on crime and inflation to knock off the incumbent in the typically liberal 17th congressional district of New York.
Lawler, as of Wednesday afternoon, is at 50.6%, compared to Maloney’s 49.4%, with about 95% of the vote counted.
“I don’t like to lose, but my opponent won this race. He won it fair and square. That means something,” the big money-backed Democrat said Wednesday. “The right thing to do is say the other guy won and wish him well.”
Early in the race, Maloney had a big advantage in cash on hand, with $2.4 million compared to Lawler’s $435,588.
Lawler said after the victory, “Congressman Maloney was very gracious. He said I ran a great race and deserved to win. I was very humbled.” The GOP is poised to take back the U.S. House and fire Nancy Pelosi as speaker.
